Film handling apparatus



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FILM HANDLING APPARATUS Original Filed April 4,. 1929 15 Sheets-Sheet 15 Wrx'iwentor I Utforneg Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED A STATES.

FILM: HANDLING APPARATUS Warren Dunham Foster, Washington Township, Bergen County, N. J and Frederick Davenport Sweet, New York, N. Y., assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to Kinatome Patents Corporation, Ridgewood,

New York N. J., a corporation of Original application April 4, 1929, Serial No. 352,525, now Patent No. 1,993,735, dated March 12, 1935. Divided and this application March 11, 1935, Serial No. 10,558

39 Claims.

The present invention related broadly to the art of photography, and more particularly to improvements in apparatus adapted for the ham- :lling of films of whatever character or for whatever purpose. It will be readily understood, how-' ever, that the present invention is applicable to 'many other types of apparatus for handling strip material and to many other uses. Consequently our use of the term film is to be taken as representative of any like strip of material which is to be manipulated as by an automatic machine.

An object of the present invention is to provide means whereby a film or other like strip of material may be initially automatically directed and moved through a film handling mechanism from the supply carrier to the take-up carrier in a direction and through a path corresponding to that followed by the film during the normal operation of the apparatus.

An object of the present invention is to provide an entirely automatic film handling apparatus, suitable for use by amateur operators or others who desire to devote a minimum of time, effort, and skill to the operation of the apparatus. To place in complete operation apparatus constructed according to the present invention the user merely places a reel of film in any position upon the supply spindle and moves a single control button. As the result of these two manual operations, the apparatus itself propels the film from the supply reel to the take-up reel and attaches it thereon and, as claimed in our parent patent, during the course of such travel places the film in operative contact with all of the mechanism necessary for the subsequent normal feed-" ing thereof and creates in the film the necessary loops of slack whereby compensation may be secured for the differences in character of movement of the continuously moving feeding members and the intermittently moving feeding member.

Such single movement of the one control button is moreover effective for actuating the motor and light circuit. If he desires, the user may move the one control button to another station whereby he may remove the film from the apparatus and substitute another and to still another station whereby the film is r-e-wound by theapparatus without removal therefrom, all such operations being performed entirely automatically, the necessary electrical circuits being controlled in an appropriate manner and all operations carried out without further human attention.

A further object of the present invention is to provide entirely mechanical and positive means,

operable without putting any especial strain or tension upon the film, whereby all of the above results may be obtained.

This application is a division of our co-pending application Serial Number 352,525, filed April i, 1929, which upon March 12, 1935, matured as Patent Number 1,993,735. In our parent patent, we claim those aspects of our invention which relate to the apparatus as a Whole, particularly including the intermittent feeding member, the automatic formation of the necessary loops of slack film and the operation of the guiding means associated therewith, and the operation of the gate and the guiding and channel forming members associated therewith. The claims of the present application are devoted primarily to those aspects of our invention which relate to the winding and reeling of a film or strip of web material, particularly in connection with the two carriersupporting spindles, the continuous feeding members associated therewith, and the channel forming and guiding members which cooperate to direct a film or the like between the carriers and between the carriers and the feeding members which draw film therefrom or deliver it thereto. Included among the claims presented herewith are those drawn to the joint control of the means for connecting the film advancing instrumentalities with the power provided therefor and the means for moving the guiding or channel forming members from and to operative position.

Also, the joint control of these guiding and channel forming members and the main driving mechanism is included herein.

.Attention is directed to our two co-pending applications Serial Numbers 10,599 and 10,560 filed concurrentlyv herewith, these applications also being divisions of our parent patent. In these other divisional patents, we claim the guiding means associated with the two carrier-supporting spindles and their actuation, both alone and in combination, and in combination with certain other guiding instrumentalities.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of means whereby the film may be propelled from the supply spindle to the continuous sprocket associated therewith and said two elements automatically operated without attention on the part of the operator. Another object is the provision of improved automatic means whereby the film after it has been propelled from said supply spindle through the apparatus to the take-up sprocket may be firmly attached to the carrier positioned upon the takeup spindle.

It has been proposed to provide a. guiding memher to direct the film from the take-up sprocket to the take-up carrier which guiding member must be initially positioned by an isolated hand "operation and is removed from operative position by pressure from 'the film itself after the mass of film wound upon the hub of the carrier plus the diameter of the hub of the'particular carrier which may happen to have been used reaches a certain diameter. The present invention provides guiding members which are autoby the film, they may be made of such sturdy construction that they are not easily bent or otherwise damaged or rendered inoperative. According to one form of the present invention, a predetermined number of revolutions of the takeup spindle is eifective for removing such guiding members from operative position, the actuation of the take-up spindle in turn'having been definitely timed in relation to the actuation of all other of the film feeding members and the movement of the gate and other guides. 'According' to another form oi. the invention, the guide is removed from operative position by the automatically operated mechanism which actuates each of the feeding members and times such actuation and operates the gate and other guides. According to a third form of the invention, the movement 01 such take-up guide to inoperative position is accomplished by a simple, independent automatic mech ism, itself definitely timed and actuated by the automatic mechanism which controls the actuation of all feeding members and the operation of the gate and other guides. In all forms of the invention, the movement oi. such take-up guide to operative position is automatically accomplished in proper timed relation v to the ,movement of the other guiding members.

Ina preferred modification of the. present insuch take-up guides are provided as an alternative to automatic operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide similar guiding means cooperating with the supply spindle whereby the free end of a film positioned thereupon may be directed to the co-operating feeding member. A further object is to control such supply spindle guiding means in the appropriate timed or sequential relation to the operation of the take-up guiding means and to the actuation of both continuous feeding members and the operation of other guides. Such supply spindle guiding means include a fixed section surrounding the carrier upon the supply spindle and cooperating with the operable portion of the guiding means whereby the free end of a film upon such carrier, no matter what the position of such free end, will be directed between the operable guiding members and to the feeding members.

Among the important objects of the present invention is the provision of operative interconnections between the various guiding and channel forming members and the various carrier supporting and feeding members associated therewith. Thus, we automatically start and stop all carriers and all feeding members in the particular timed relation which is appropriate to the 5 movement of the various guiding and channel forming members which direct a film from or to them or any of them.

l A further object is to provide means whereby a vention, manually operable control means for supply spindle may be operated in one direction to propel a film therefrom and in the other direction to rewind the film thereupon.

A' further object includes the provision of means wherebythe film, may be directed from and to the feeding members in connection with the initial positioning of the film and means whereby such directing means are automatically withdrawn to permit the production of loops of slack in the film.

A further object is the provision of improved propelling, guiding and shielding means for a film, and the provision of control mechanism for each and all of such means and the parts component thereof and associated therewith assuring the actuation and operation of each and all of the same in sequential or other timed rela- 2( tion to the actuation and operation of each other and of the other elements of the film handling" mechanism.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for actuating each of the above men- 26 tioned elements and all of the elements of the apparatus in that sequential or other timed or otherwise related manner which will result in the completely automatic actuation and operation of the apparatus.

We prefer to illustrate our invention as applied to a film handling apparatus of the type disclosed and claimed in the applications of Barton Allen Proctor, Serial Number 54,910 filed upon September 8, 1925, and upon January 24, 1933, maturing as Patent Number 1,894,963 and Serial Number 348,633, filed March 20, 1929, and upon January 16, 1935, maturing as Patent Number 1,944,037, both of said applications having been co-pending with our parent application, although it will be readily understood that our invention may be applied to other types of apparatus and subjected to control other than that of the sequential and unitary type disclosed in said patents and herein.

It will be understood that our invention as claimed herein may be applied to apparatus inwhich a film or other web is moved continuously, as in connection with the optical rectification of a motion picture image, a film playing phonograph, or sound recordation or reproduction.

Other objects, advantages and characteristics of the present invention are apparent in the following description, the attached drawings, and the subjoined claims. Although we are showing one preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be readily understood that we are not limited to this particular construction as changes can readily be made without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope of our broader claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a right side elevation of the ma chine, certain parts of the lamp housing being broken away and certain parts being omitted for clarity;

Figure 1a is a view taken on the line la-la of Figure 1; and Figure 1b is a plan view of the same; I

Figure 1c is an enlarged detail view of the actuating arm for the upper loop guide;

Figure 2 is a left side elevation of the machine, certain parts being omitted .for clarity;

Figure 2a is a detail view of the control link aosmss for the film idlers and their associated parts taken on the line 2a-2a of Figure 2;

Figure 2b is a detail plan view of the double clutch for the supply spindle;

Figure 3 is a partial side elevation broken away to show actuating parts in film threading position, certain parts being omitted for clarity;

Figure 4 is an enlarged skeleton view, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the clutches for the feeding sprockets, and the stripping shields cooperating with all feeding members and the means for operating the same;

Figure 4a is a side enlarged skeleton view of such shields and the means for operating the same;

Figure 4b is a view of a portion of the mechanism for actuating the film positioning and locking fingers, such fingers being in the inoperative position and Figure 4c is a side view of the same;

Figure 4d is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the power connection;

Figure 5 is a cross section on a line 5-5 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, certain parts being omitted for clarity;

Figure 6 is a partial view, taken on the line 65 of Figure 1, showing the right side only to illustrate the gate; Figure 6a is a detail view of the gate rod crank lever and associated parts;

Figure 7 is a partial bottom plan view showing actuating levers in prdjection-in-motion position, with the control mechanism at station SI and with the manual control button at stat on 0, out of operative contact with the mechanism and about to be moved into such operative contact;

Figure 7a is an enlarged detail view taken on the line la-la of'Figure 7 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 is a partial bottom plan view showing actuating levers in the intermediate position S0, having been manually brought to such position from station Si;

Figure 9 is a partial bottom plan'view showing actuating levers in film threading or Changing position, with the control button at station S3;

Figure 10 is a partial bottom plan viewshowing actuating levers in rewind position, with the control button at station S4;

Figure 11 is an enlarged view, taken upon the line H-H of Figure 7, looking in the direction of the arrows, certain parts being omitter for clarity;

Figure 12 is an enlarged view, taken upon the line l2--l2 of Figure 7, looking in the direction of the arrows, certain parts being omitted for clarity;

Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the timed or sequential operation of certain elements of the apparatus when constructed in accordence with the form thereof known for convenience form A;

Figure 14 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the supply spindle clutch control mechanism, constructed according to A";

Figure 15 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the supply sprocket clutch control mechanism, constructed according to form A;

Figure-l6 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the intermittent or feeding sprocket control mechanism, constructed according to form H A77; I

Figure 17 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the take-up sprocket control mechanism, constructed according to form A;

Figure 18 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the take-up spindle control mechanism, constructed according to form"A;

Figure 19 is a diagram illustrating the timed or sequential operation of certain elements of the apparatus when constructed in accordance with a preferred modification, such modification being known for convenience as form B";

Figure 20 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the supply spindleclutch control mechanism, constructed according to form B;

Figure 21 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the supply sprocket control mechanism, constructed according to form B;

Figure 22 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the intermittent or feeding sprocket control mechanism, constructed according to form B;

Figure 23 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the take-up sprocket control mechanism, constructed according to form B;

Figure 24 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the take-up spindle'control mechanism, constructed according to form 3";

Figure 25 is a diagram illustrating the timed or sequential operation of certain elements of the apparatus when constructed in accordance with a preferred modification, such modification being known for convenience as form C;

Figure 26 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the supply spindle clutch control mechanism, constructed according to form C;

Figure 27 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the supply sprocket control mechanism, constructed according to form C;

Figure 28 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the intermittent or feeding sprocket control mechanism, constructed according to form C;

Figure 29 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the take-up sprocket control mechanism, constructed accordingto form C;

Figure 30 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the take-up spindle control mechanism, constructed according to'form C;

Figure 81 is an enlarged detail view of the takeup guiding mechanism in operative position, the frame being omitted for the sake of clarity;

Figure 32 is a view taken on the line 3232 of Figure 31 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing a portion of the frame of the apparatus:

Figure 33 is a view corresponding to Figure 31, the parts being in inoperative position;

Figure 34 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the operating trigger and primary latch controlled thereby;

Figure 35 is a skeleton view of the guiding mechanism associated with the take-up spindle, the guiding mechanism associated with the supply spindle, and the operative connection there-' between;

Figure 36 is an enlarged skeleton view, corresponding in part to Figure 33. of guiding mechanism associated with the spindles, in the inoperative position, such mechanism beingoperated in accordance with form B of the invention, and of the control mechanism for the shielding members associated with the feeding members whereby such shielding members are sequentially operated;

Figure 37 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of such actuating ianism;

Figure 38 is a partial view looking in the direction of the arrows taken on line "-38 of Figure 36;

Figure 39 is an enlarged detail view of the operating mechanism for the guiding mechanism associated with the spindles'eonstructed according to form 13 of the invention and also of the means for actuating such mechanism;

Figure 40 is a view taken on the line 40-48 of Figure 39 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 41 is an enlarged skeleton view, corresponding in part to Figures 33 and 36, of the guiding mechanism associated with the spindles, constructed according to form C of the invention, such guiding mechanism being either manually or automatically operable and being operated in direct connection with the gate closing mechanism, and of the control mechanism for the shielding members whereby such members are operated during the last portion of the gate closing movement;

Figure 42 is a view taken on the line 42-42 of Figure 41, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 43 is a view taken on the line 43-43 of Figure41, looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 44 is an enlarged detail sectional view of means whereby the upper and lower loop guides are actuated directly by the movable section of the gate;

Figure 45 shows an improved form of lateral positioning and locking mechanism and gate structure;

Figure 46 (sheet 3) is an enlarged detail view of the control mechanism at station 82 whereby a still picture may be projected;

Figure 47 (sheet 3) is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the control mechanism showing means for securing a dwell between the initial and final gate closing movements;

Figure 48 (sheet 11) is a side view broken away in part of the structure shown in Figure 46;

Figure 49 (sheet 11) is a view of a preferred modification of the mechanism for actuating the upper and lower loop guides in sequential relation;

Figure 49a is'a view taken on the line Mia-49a of Figure 49, looking in the direction of the arof a portion of the mechanism for actuating the.

film retaining members, when constructed according to a preferred'modification; 4

'Figure 51 (sheet 5) is a wiring diagram of the apparatus.

Figure 52 is a cross section along the line 52-52 of Figure 3; 4

Figure 53 shows control mechanism of our invention operated in accordance with the copending aplication of Warren Dunham Foster,

now Patent Number 1,943,303.

In carrying out thepresent invention, there may be provided an apparatus comprising a sup- 120. ting base B having mounted thereon a lamp L and resistance containing-housing H and a supporting frame F upon which are mounted the operating parts of the film feeding and controlling mechanism per se.

Preferably carried by the frame F and projecting from one side thereof in predetermined spaced relationship is a pair of reel receiving and bearing against a flat spring 36' which force spindles 2 and 3, the spindle 2 being adapted for the holding of a reel of film during the feeding movement thereof and adapted to eifect rewinding of the film at the conclusion of the feeding movement, while the spindle 3 is adapted to be positively driven during the feeding movement for coiling the film as required.

The spindle 3, which will hereafter be referred to as the driving or take-up spindle, isjoumaled for rotation in a suitable bearing 1 in an enlarged boss 8 in the frame F. A friction driving member 9 is secured to the left hand end of the spindle as viewed in Figure 5. The driving member 9 has a friction surface 60 with which is adapted to cooperate a second friction 1 member II in the form of a disk. The disk II and the driving member 3are preferably held in frictional engagement by means of springs I2 carried by the member 9 and bearing against the disk ll through the medium of an annulus 2 l3, the springs being held under the desired tension and the annulus being maintained in position by adjusting screws M. Projecting rearwardly from the disk II is a circular series of closely spaced teeth I5 adapted to be engaged 25 by a clutch hereinafter described in detail by means of which the driving spindle 3 may be rotated through the friction surfaces just described.

Projecting from the base B in spaced relation 3 to the frame F is a bearing bracket |6 carrying a bearing |'I for a shaft I8 extending in alignment with the driving spindle 3. Secured in any desired manner to the shaft |8 for rotation there- 3 with is a worm wheel I!) adapted tobe driven by a worm 20 secured to a horizontally positioned driving shaft 2| located on one side of the frame F. This shaft at its forward end is mounted in spaced bearings 22 carried by the bracket Hi and through a flexible coupling 23 of any desired or usual construction. By reason of this mechanism, it will be apparent that when the motor M is operated; the shaft |8 will be positively driven through the worm and wheel before referred to. For transmitting this rotational movementfrom the shaft Hi to the spindle 3 at will there is provided a collar 24 mounted upon the right hand end of the shaft I B as viewed and longitudinal movement relatively thereto and including an extension, having therein a groove 25, and terminating in closely spaced teeth 26. By moving such collar 24 to the right, as viewed ,in Figure 5 formtational movement therewith 50 in Figure 5, the teeth are projected to bring 55 them' into engagement with the corresponding teeth I5 whereby a positive drive is immediately established for the driving spindle. This clutch will hereinafter be referred to as the driving spindle or takeup spindle clutch.

The spindle 2, which will hereinafter be designated the rewinding spindle, or, when the context makes such phrasing desirable, as the delivery or supply spindle, is mounted similarly to the driving spindle 3 in a bearing 26 carried by the frame F, an enlarged boss 28' being provided coaxial with such bearing and spindle. Extending in alignment with the rewinding spindle 2 is a shaft 3| suitably journaled in a bearing 32 carried by a bracket 33 illustrated as secured to the frame F, all as is clearly shown in Figure 5. For driving the shaft 3| there may be provided a collar 3| pinned to the shaft 3| a fibre disk't'l' against a face of a pulley 31.

The pulley 31 is mounted in line with a similar pulley 38 mounted on the outer end of a stub shaft 39 secured in the bracket l6. Also mounted on the shaft 39 is a spur gear 40 adapted to be driven by a similar, but'preferably larger, gear 4| on the outer end of the shaft l8. By passing a suitable belt around the pulleys 31 and 38 it will be apparent that the shafts l8 and 3| may be simultaneously rotated by the motor M, the shaft 3| preferably rotating at a higher speed than the shaft l8.

It will readily be understood by those skilled in the art that this provision of a yielding drive for the shaft 3| especially in combination with the belt and pulley drive, prevents the forward or leader end of the film which is attached to the take-up spindle 3 being torn loose therefrom at the conclusion of the rewinding cycle.

Loosely mounted upon the shaft 3| is the pulley 29 which is connected by a suitable belt with the pulley 30 pinned to the shaft I8. By reason of such construction, during the operation of the motor, the pulley 29 is constantly in motion in the same direction as the shaft I8, namely in a feeding direction, and the shaft 3| is constantly in motion in a contrary or rewinding direction.

For operatively connecting at will either the shaft 3| or the pulley 29 to the spindle 2, the following mechanism may be employed:

Mounted in an upward extension of the bracket 33 is a shaft 33a to the ends of which are pinned spur gears 33b and 330 meshing respectively with spur gears 33d and 33a. Such gear 33d is attached to the left hand end of a collar 33f which is mounted upon the left hand extension of the spindle 2, as viewed in Figure 5, for rotation therewith and longitudinal movement relatively thereto. Such gear 33e is attached to the right hand side of the pulley 29' for revolution therewith. Pinned to the shaft 3|, is a collar 339 in the right hand side of which are cut closely spaced teeth 33h for cooperation with closely spaced teeth 33f formed in the left hand side of the gear 33d, as viewed in Figure 5. Cooperating with a groove 339 in a collar 33$ formed with and attached to the gear and with a depression 33k between the gear 33c and the pulley 29, are fingers 331 and 33m, which, as clearly seen in Figure 2b, are carried by forked arms 3311. and 330 yoked together by a bar 33:) loosely attached to an .arm 33q which in turn is attached to the supply spindle control rod I38 later described.

By reason of this construction, it will be evident that movement to the right of the yoke 33p and the fingers 33m and 331 from the neutral position shown in Figure '5, will communicate the rotation of the pulley 29 to the spindle 2 by by bringing the gears 33b and 33d into operative engagement and will serve to rotate such spindle in the same direction as such pulley and the takeup spindle 3 are rotated, namely, in a feeding direction. Movement of the yoke 33p to the extreme left as viewed in Figure 5 will be effective for destroying the connection between the gears 33b and 33d and for bringing the teeth 33i into contact with the teeth 33h, thereby placing the spindle 2 in direct operative connection with the shaft 3| and rotating it thereby in a contrary direction from that in which it was previously rotated, namely, in a rewinding direction.

In view of the fact that a gate, stripping and shielding members, and the guid ng surfaces associated therewith form a part of the channel in which the film is initially threaded and through which it is later fed in a projecting operation, it will be necessary to describe them herein.

We prefer so to construct a gate that the film may be initially positioned in respect thereto either by the operation of a feeding member which 5 propels the free end of the film between the sections of the gate or by a single lateral manual movement of the film relative to the gate. We prefer also to make use of the construction shown by the said Proctor in his above mentioned patents by reason of which it is possible at any time to stop the operation of the apparatus, open the gate and move the guiding elements associated therewith to inoperative position and manually remove the film from the gate by a movement at 15 right angles to its path of travel therethrough.

' Mounted on the frame F adjacent the motor M, we may place a gate section 42 preferably secured in any desired manner as by screws 43 against movement relatively to the frame. This 20 section is preferably formed with an aperture 44 through which light may be projected as well understood in the art, and with a film guiding .depression 45 extending lengthwise of the section and intersecting the aperture 44 for the travel of the film, such depression preferably being of great depth relatively to the thickness of the film. Cooperating with the section 42 is a relatively movable section 45 preferably guided by a pin 41 projecting outwardly from the sec? tion 42, and secured to one end of the gate opening rod 48 slidable through a suitable opening in the gate section 42 and a suitable bearing 49 on the frame F. The usual spring pressed pressure plate is provided. By reason of this construction, it will be apparent that when the rod 48 is moved to the left as viewed in Figures 1 or 3 it will be effective for moving the section 46 away from the section 42 thus relieving the pressure between the sections and permitting the removal of one film or the insertion of another film, such insertion being accomplished either by propulsion or by a manual lateral movement, while movement in the opposite direction will bring the sections into cooperative relation. An idler l2'lh may be mounted at the upper end of the section 42 for cooperation with the film below the upper loop, later described.

Claims which include the intermittent feeding means as such will be found in our co-p'ending parent patent. In view of the fact that we claim herein the movement of the film through the apparatus in order to carry out the regular feeding operation and the intermittent feeding member is one of the elements which so feeds the film, it will be necessary to describe the construction and control of that member.

For effecting the desired intermittent feeding motion of a film in position in the gate, there may be provided a feeding sprocket 50 having film engaging teeth 5| adapted to engage usual perforations substantially peripherally positioned in the film i. This sprocket is mounted on a shaft 53 extending transversely through the frame F and carrying at its opposite end a star wheel 54, as is clearly shown in Figure 2. This star wheel, which may be of any well known construction, is adapted to be intermittently driven by means of a sectional cam 55 secured adjacent one end of a shutter shaft 56 journalled at one end of a grease casing C within which are mounted the cam 55 and star wheel 54, and at its opposite end may be journalled in a suitable bearing carried by a bracket projecting from the frame F as shown in Patent 1,894,963. 

